May’s flagship bill avoids rebellion after concessions

May’s flagship bill avoids rebellion after concessions

MPs voted by 319 to 303 to reject a House of Lords amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill that would have ensured the Commons would have the chance to block a ‘no-deal’ Brexit. Photo: PA

Theresa May’s flagship Brexit bill cleared its final parliamentary hurdle after she avoided a backbench rebellion with an 11th-hour concession to pro-EU Tories.

MPs voted by 319 to 303 to reject a House of Lords amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill that would have ensured the Commons would have the chance to block a “no-deal” Brexit. The legislation subsequently returned to the upper house in the final stage of “parliamentary ping-pong”, where it passed without a vote.

The Department for Exiting the EU said it marked a “crucial step” in the UK’s preparations for leaving the bloc. “It is a good moment for all those who want a smooth and orderly exit,” a spokesman said. It ends months of parliamentary debate over the legislation that will formally end the country’s EU membership.